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"He was arrested and interviewed and said he had been drinking heavily, taken cocaine and ecstasy and could not recall the incident," he added.

His barrister, Virginia Hayton, that he still cannot recall the attack but when told about it he said that the woman "would not lie, she tells the truth. If she says I have done it, I have done it."

Jailing him for five years four months Judge Mark Brown said that he had committed "this dreadful offence" while she lay asleep, having taken a sleeping tablet, and left her distressed and anxious. He ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Miss Hayton said that Thomas, who has previous convictions but none for sexual offences, "is remorseful and cannot understand why he did it and it is troubling him."

She said that he started using cannabis at the age of nine, drinking heavily at the age of 11, addicted to ecstasy and cocaine at 13 and was put in care the following year.

He has been trying to contact his family but they want nothing to do with him and he will now be away from his partner and their young daughter and his two other older daughters from previous relationships.

Miss Hayton told the court that Thomas will not find out the result of his HIV test until Friday and has had the worry of the outcome hanging over him.

"It is his own fault, if he had not committed this offence he would not have placed himself in this position."